Surveillance Cameras in France

A violation of liberty or a perfect security? IPAG 2009-2010 Group 3M3
-------------------------------------------------

Summary

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………3

Part I: CCTV in France……………………………………………………………………………………4
London
France

Part II: The Individual Liberty………………………………………………………………………8
Data Access
Organizations against CCTV

Part III: The general Ethic Table and our point of view…………………………………10
The general Ethic table
Baptiste’s Ethic Table
Francois-Xavier’s Ethic Table
Alternative Solutions

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………….…….15

-------------------------------------------------

Introduction

We worked on the CCTV in France. It was not submit in the list of the course however we thought that this subject had a very important ethical aspect. Moreover the question divides French people nowadays, when the government wants to watch people with cameras to assure their security.
To begin with this subject, we have to define what CCTV is. Closed-circuit Television (CCTV) is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a place on a monitor.
This security system is very used in London (England). After few years of using, its results are mitigated. We will start with the London case, and then we will see the French case.
In France the CCTV system is growing fast. The government thinks that it is the most efficient, cheaper and executable security system known for the moment…
However, is CCTV very ethical?

Is the security more important than the individual liberty?

They are a lot of associations against the use of CCTV in France, like in Britain. People are divided between necessity of security and volition of liberty and private life!
In this case study we will try to understand all stakes and to fix the ethical limit of CCTV. We will finish with one general ethic table and two personal tables. It shows that the ethical limit is very